Gravesham goes to the polls on June 8

With the general election just weeks away, the candidates vying for a seat in Gravesham have been revealed.

Following a scramble to get candidates after Theresa May’s shock snap-election announcement last month, all of the country’s major parties have entered a candidate to compete for the seat, which was created at the 1983 election.

Conservatives won the first election in the constituency, but it was then taken over by Labour in 1997 until 2005 when Adam Holloway took the seat back for the Conservatives.

Mr Holloway has held the seat to date.

The candidates standing in Gravesham for the general election on June 8 are:

· Mandy Garford (Labour)

Ms Garford is a qualified teacher, mum, and chair of the National Autistic Society in Dartford, Gravesend and Swanley. She got into politics because “the people of Gravesham have genuine and real concerns and they deserve to be heard. They deserve to have a voice that will stand up for them. I have absolutely no reservation in speaking out for those that should be heard, and to make our borough a fairer, better place to live.” With her campaign Ms Garford hopes Labour can put Gravesham on the map for Autism.

· Adam Holloway (Conservative)

MP for Gravesham since 2005 the former television reporter, who has been a part of many undercover documentaries, and then became a war journalist, states he has been described as “continuing to buck trends as a constituency MP”. He has campaigned on local issues such as the Lower Thames Crossing, Gravesham Heritage Quarter and Northfleet Harbour Restoration. Having himself voted to leave in last year’s referendum, the Conservative candidate says he is “very proud that 65 per cent of Gravesham that voted to leave the EU” and will continue to support Brexit if elected again.

· Marna Gilligan (Green Party)

Irish-born Ms Gilligan has lived in Gravesend for two years. She joined the Green Party because she wants a “better, fairer future for everyone”. Her election campaign revolves around the borough’s transport. She said: “My priority is scrapping the proposed Lower Thames Crossing. Yet we don’t want to see the crossing sited upriver at Dartford, where air pollution levels are already dangerously high. The Green Party will fight for investment in ports and rail infrastructure, to have freight moved from the roads to safer more sustainable routes and for reliable, affordable and joined-up public transport”.

· Emmanuel Feyisetan (Ukip)

Ukip parliamentary candidate Mr Feyisetan said a vote for him is a vote for “a clean Brexit, controlled and dramatically reduced net immigration, the stamping out of health tourism and an aligned, properly funded and resourced NHS and social care, and a cut in foreign aid by £10 billion”.

· James Willis (Liberal Democrats)

Mr Willis is a Gravesend resident, but a councillor for Heath Ward Maidstone. He’s a Liberal Democrat because he wants to “change Gravesham’s future.” The regular campaigner for transport and planning issues, would describe himself as “fresh, energetic, experienced and really bothered to get the best for Gravesham.” His local manifesto tackles education, mental health, transport, infrastructure and housing.

· Michael Rogan (Independent)

Irish-born Mr Rogan lived in London for seven years before moving to Gravesend 21 years ago, and says he’s running in the election because “we don’t know how to rebel anymore, but I’m going to show young people how to push their opinions out there.” The chartered quantity surveyor and business-owner, who works in the London commercial sector of the construction industry, believes the local people are forgotten about with the big political parties, and that he plans “to give, and not take because he’s in it for the local people.” If elected, he will to use a percentage of his earnings to set up and run a facility in the town centre for the homeless, impoverished and the youth.

Stay on our website to find out more about the candidates and for full election build-up.